Coin-control attachment for automatic players or the like.



, P. J. DREHBR. COIN CONTROL ATTACHMENT, FOR AUTOMATIC PLAYERS OR THE LIKE.

' I LYPLIOATION FILED DEG. 9,1910.

984,199. Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

2 $EEETS-SHEE'I 1,

1; JWNTUR.

0 mlllwliinllllluq "WITNESS/E5? WW @Mrm P. J. DREHER. COIN CONTROL ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMATIC PLAYERS OR THE LIKE.

APPLIQATIONIILBD DEG. 9, 1910.

Patented Feb.'14, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I INT/ENTER.

quarter 'orh 1i; dollar entit es one to the following units. i

details of-ia' ratchet-wheel mean. attached 5 numero mfent there trolled. unitse'ihf the ap operating coin contro led parts removedv UNITED STATES To all'whoin it may concern: 7 r Be it known thatI, PHILIP J 9100B DREHEB,

State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Coin-Control- Attachment for "Automatic Players or the Like; and I do hereby declare the following to. be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such: as will enable-others skilled in the art to whichit-appertains to make and usethesame, reference being had to'theac-Y cornpanying drawings, and to the figures of reference; lmarke thereon, which form a part-of this specification.

apparatus of the class fia'rticularly adapted for use in connectionnwith music-bones or.

automatic --p1ayers, but is not-restricted'to such use. asit may be employed-in any connection for wh' pr p The objects-of amt-amen is s pry vision of an --iifnproved apparatusotthis character, which, s -autornaticafiy operative to play thegnun'ib'er" of;pieces which the amount of-"ithe coin deposited within the apparatus eiititles' onefito,- as, for instance,- should a niflc'el be; deposited oneipiece" is 1', 2-and 3 which illustrateunit c, or the one adapted to be controlled .by quarters, 2 des-' e. the depositi'n T of -'a dime,

p y d, h

five; or tenwithout any accomplishe upon his-part. I nis fully described in the ificaticn, and while, in its i fis capabl'e of embodiment playing o f'jti o, tively, whi h further act The invent broader aspei;

d5; trailzedhin the" aecom' an'iri "l in s, in w; ie Figuge lifis a side' elevation of the pawl and ratchetinieans of one of 'the'coin-conaratus w.ith the co fromthe; side" thereof; and an associated art in section v andparts broken away,

iig. 2 is a sim'ilar view operating parts offa u'iiit witha side plate removed and withparts broken away and section. Fi a 3 is an enlarged "vertical cross-section 0 one of the -.coin controlled 4 is a-similar viewon'areduced scale of a onrunits together.- Fig, 5. is a; plan View of the part in Which* the coin recelfil kgv slots are located.-

,6 and 7. are

Specification of iLettersYatezit. Application filed December a; 1910. Serial No. 598,436.

M' invention relates to coin-controlled? ch it-maybe'adapted-or ap v on therotary trip-member and thesize of the coin coacting parts, which are changed for'each unit as the size andqdenoniination" forms a preferred embodi-s illjus of the coin-c0 PATENT OFFICE. 1 I ,.,.z i mi neon forearms, or trotnno, Ohio. 7 Q corn-contract n'r mcnivr'snr For; AUTOMATIC rLAYEns on Train trim,

Patented Feb, 14, 1911.

"units, res eetively, and Figs. 13 -and'14: are

details 0 the pawl carrying bar of each unit. 4 Referring to thedrawings, l designates a case or box in which are located a number ceivef and which is intended" to be attached ,'Y;tro1:the, rilayiiig of the same. These units, -in, the presentinstance, are shown as being struction, except for the-number of teeth of the coin-may require, as hereinafter more fully described, the construction and 0 er ation of only one unit-will bedescribed in detail. w

Referring now more particularly to Figs.

ignate's a. plate which divides units 2; and c; 3 a. skeleton form ofuplate, which is v-shown as being secured to the side of plate 2, but may be'mtegral therewith if desired; 4 a plate similar to plate 2, andsecured to 'the side of the late Lop desired; The plate 8 is provided with an opening 6 in which isdisposed a'fratchetwheel7, being loosely-mounted on a stub- .nuniber of teeth of the ratchet depends 'denomination is contained in' the coin of is' the lowest coin and a half dollar the highestcoin, the latter e uals ten of -the' forten teeth. The pawl 9 which coacts with the ratchet 7 to actuateits movemen s, 1s

' Eivotally attached at its 'forward'end to a Fig. 8 is a plan. of the to a music b ox or automatic piano to""conshaft 8 projecting from the plateflL [The .upon the; number of times the coin'of lowesthighest denomination for which the vap a-" ratus is adapted, as, for instance, if a me 61 65 of coin-controlled units corresponding to the number of coins of different denominations which the apparatus is adapted to re- "fourin" number and designated a, Z), cfland. 4 d, and respectively adapted to'be operatedby dimes, nicke1s,'quarters and half-dollars.

-As-a.11 ofthes'e units are of the same conthe outer side of late 3, and 5 a second I ,skeleton fornr'ofp ate',',which is secured to sed'to the'piate 3., and' may'-' be integral with the plate A'if .mer and the ratchet: wii consequently have ar 10," which' is mounted for horizontal a predetermined distance it is positively released from engagement with .ratchet tooth due to its nose coacting withthe registeringwall 12 of the plate opening in which it is disposed. The bar 10 is nor-- mally. held retracted in forward-position by a spring 13 acting on an angled lever 14,- one arm of which works within a notch 15 inthe bar end, or this m-ay be'accomplished in any other suitable manner. The ratchet 7 is shown as being of suit able thickness to project through aregistering opening 16 in the plate 4, and has a rotary trip-member concentrically secured thereto and disposed in the plane of the plate 5 within an opening-18 therein, see Fig.2. The trip-member 17 turns with the ratchet and has a number ofperipheral -equidistantly spaced teeth 19 equal to the number of times the coin of its unit is contained in the coin of largest denomination for which the apparatus is adapted, as, for instance, the trip-member'l7, has two teeth as a quarter is contained twice in a half dollar, the largest amount-for which the'present apparatus is adapted.

The plate 5 is cut-away near its forward end'to cooperate with the laterally abutting plate 4 of the-same unit and the plate 2 of the adjoining unit at to form a vertical coin-chute 20,- the upper end of which; is shown as being extended by a registering chute portion 20 mounted in a frame. 21,:

While the lower end thereof opens into a chamber 22 common to the coin-chutes of alltheunits." A drawer 23 is disposed with" in the chamber 22 to catch the coins. The

plate or part 4: is also provided with suitable openings to receive the coin-actuatedlatch member 24; and the coin-stop 25.

The latch-member 241s pivoted-above the plane of movement of-the bar 10, as at 26,

Fig. 2, 'andhas ,a nose piece 24 projecting downwardly and forwardly from its pivot and ata'il-piece 24", which latter is weighted to cause it to normally standlowered in poi sition for its end to lie in the pathof movement of a lug 27, which projects -'from a side of the associated bar 10 and-works-in a. slot 28 providedin the plates 4 and 5,. thus obstructing a complete forward movement of the barlOr The nose 24: ofthe-latch-memberis normally held projected withinv the coin-chute 20 by the weighted tail-piece thereof, and upon the depositin of a coin 'withinthe chutefthe weight 0- the same upon-such latch 'noseoverbalances the tail- The pawl 9 rides upon the toplatch-member to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2. The rocking of the latchmember in thismanner moves its tail-piece from the path of movement of the bar-lug 27 and permits such lug and bar 10 actuated by the spring 13 and lever-14, to move for- 'wardly 1nto position forthe pawl 9 to engage the next tooth of'the ratchet 7 to that previouslyengaged thereby, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Upon the'ne-Xt rearward movement of the bar 10 the pawl 9 acts on the ratchet-wheel to rotate ita distance equal to the space betweenthe teeth thereof.

The coin-stop 25 is pivoted within an.

within a socket in the plate 5 and'act's on the-finger 30 to yieldingly hold such finger in tooth engaging position, The forward edge of thestop 25 is'provided with a nose or projection 32, which, when the stop is in .normal position, projects into the coinbhute 20 in the path of movement of coins 38,

there'through whereby to obstruct and stop the movement of such coins as'shown in Fig. 2. Upon a rocking of thestop25'by the engagement of a moving tooth .19 with the finger 30 thereof the nose 32 is retracted from coin obstructing position and permits the lowermost coin-in the chute, or: that resting upon the stop, to pass downwardly therethrough. I

In order to'prevent a coin which isrestin u on-th'e lower coin in a slot from ass ing downwardly through the chute pastthe stop 25,-wuen the same isrocke'd from nor-. mal or coin cb'structing position,'*the upper forward end portion of the stop 25 is fashioned, as at 34, to adapt it to project'within the chute in position to obstruct the descent assumes 1ts normal position after releasing the lower com, the portion 3.4 thereof as retracted from coin engaging position and permits the upper coin to lower and rest upon the nose 32 of the stop. It is thus apparent that the stop 25 has an escapement actionupon the coins and permits only one coin to pass downwardly through the chute' upon a single rocking thereof. As the I upper coin in the chute'20, or the coin which ,,engages the nosev 24 'of the latch member 24:, 'moves downwardly in the chute, such latch nose. is released and the latch is permitted to assume its normal position with the end of of the upper coin-therein. As the stop 25 the tail-piece 24? thereof resting in position H to obstruct a completev forward movement of the In 27 with the bar 10.

plece thereof and eflects a rocking of the The on y changein the form and constructionof the different units of the apparatus is in the shape and size of the members24 and 25an'd the size ofthe coinpchutesQO to adapt them'for the sizeg'of the coin em- 'ployed, and in the number of teeth employed on the trip-member, asa trip-member 17" (Fig. 1'1) having five teeth lisfemployed in 1 5'- l v "To. the rear of' thecoin control units is located a box, or casin connection with thedime unit, trip-meniployed in connection with the nickel-unit; a trip member '17 t i (Fig; 10) having two teeth is emple ed inhconnecti'on with the quarter unit, an a trip member"1'?" (Fig. 9) having one tooth'is employed in connect on "with the half dollar unit. "1 u inwhich is' disosed a bellows 36 having air inletand outetpipes 37 "which lead to andfromsuitable portions of the musical instrumentwhereby air is forced into the bellows or {exhausted therefrom at predetermined points U in-the playing of a piece, as is common in ,pneuma-tic musical instruments, and will be herein'after more fully explains i .The musical instrument to which the ap jparatusis attached is intended to be nun by electricity and the circuit of the operating motoris opened and closed by movement of a switch arm38 within the case 35, such arm a being pivoted at one end to a ole '39 -0f such circuit and adapted upon a orward move them of its upper end to move into contact with the other pole 40 of theicircuit to close t e same. A spring {11 yieldingly acts on the switch arm 38 to normally move the same to open position. The upper end of the" switch arm 38 has arod 42 projecting 'v rearwardly .therefromloosely through a a0 registering opening, in a lip 43, onthe'upper end of the movable bellows part and such rod isheaded on the opposite side of the lip 43 to the switch arm 38, whereby the switch ceiving lugs lfi projectingupwardly from arm is permitted to freely move rearwardly relative to the bellows but'a closing of the bellows is adapted to inove the switch arm to open the electric circuit.

Pivoted to and projecting forwardly from theupper end portion of the movable switch .arm 38, is a draft member 44 having slots 45 extending longitudinally thereof andrethe rear ends of the registering bars 10,

7 'When theswitch arm 38is in open position, as shown in dotted lines inFig. 2, the

bars 10 all stand with their lugs 27 abutting a ainst the rear ends. of the tailpiece's :24

i to the latch members 24 of the units, and the depositing of a coin in any one of the coin slots efi'ects atilting of the associatedlatch member 24 to permitthe associated bar 10.

to moveunder the influence of the spring 13,

"and lever 14 to the limit of its forward movement whereby to draw the switch-arm 38 to closed position'due to theproper stud 'tfi actingt on the forward end of the'asso- -ciated slot in theplatet l. Such movement of the bar 10 also places its 'pawl 9 into enga ement with a tooth of the associated ratchet 10. ;T he power circuit forithe instrument being closed in this manner the same i'emainsclosed until a piece is played Upon the completion of a piece an aperture i in the perforated music sheet moves into register with an: opening in the mouth-piece pram instrument and 'permitsan exhaust of air' from the bellows 36. The exhaust of air from the bellows causes a rearward thereof." The movements of the ratchet wheel' 7 impart correspondin'g movements tothe attached trips-member so that the teeth 19 thereof, when they move into register with the 'finger 30 of the coin-stop 25, will rock such finger and stop 'to permit a drop-1 ping of a co n 33 supported ,by the latter.

The use of a bellows for automatically opening a switch-is old in instruments of this" Theoperation of my improved apparatus in connection with a pneumatic music-box or piano is as follows :Should -a"person desiring to operate the instrument have a nickel in change'he. drops the same i n the coin chute associated with unit I) of the apthe chute coacts with the nose 24:" of the latch member 345 and effects a raising of its tail-piece 24: from the path of movement of lparatus which coin. in its descent through,

the bar lug- 27. as the =latch--24. .,moves from 'engagementwith the lug 27 the baf lfl'car ryingsuchflug is drawn forwardly by the action of the spring -13 and lever 14 intoposition for the pawl 9 thereof ti) engage the next tooth in. order on the ratchet 7.

As the bar 10 moves forward from the position at which itwas stopped by-the latch 24, the stud .46 thereon coa'cts with the forward end of the slot 45 of the plate 44 into which it projects and effects amovement of the switch arm 38 into contact with the switch pole {i0 to-close the circuit of the motor (not shown) which operates the musical "instrument-J Wh'en the playing of the piece iscompleted the movable portion of the bellows 36 is moved-by the exhaust of air therefrom so as to effect a movement of the switch arm 38 to operithe- -circuit, in

which it is disposed. This movement of the switch arm also imparts a rearward move ment to the control bar 10 and effects a rotation of the ratchet 7 a distance equalto the space .between two teeth thereof. Inasmuch as the rotary-trip member 17* associated with the nickel unit has a tooth for every tooth of the ratchet 7,the coin stop will'be moved at each movement of the ratchet to permit a tripping-of'the lower coin anda descent of the next coin from engagement with the latch 24 and into contact with the stop 25 by whichit is then supported. The

-movement of theupper coin from engagement with the latch 241; permits such latch to lower and coact with the lug 27 to lock the bar 10 against a subsequent forward move ment until another ,coin has been deposited in the chute for such purpose.

The'operation of each ofthe other units of the apparatus is the same asthat above described, except that the coin-stop 25- is only tripped atevery second movement of the ratchet if a dime is deposited, at every fifth movement thereof if a quarter is de- 1 posited, and at every'tenth movement, or

been deposited in the chute.

one complete revolution of the ratchet, if a half-dollar isideposited. Itis thus apparent that if, for instance, a quarter rests upon the coin stop 25 of the unit 0 and another a quarter is deposited in such slot the latch 24 will be mowedto release the bar 13 and be held in such released position until five pieces have been' played, as the action of the bellows 36 at the end of each piece causes an automatic throwing out of the switch arm 38 and a movement of the bar 10,pawl 9and ratchet 7, while the unrestricted forward movement of I the bar 10 permits it, after each throwing out operation, to return to its forward position to engage its pawl 9 to the next ratchet tooth and to throw the switch, .c

When thefifthpiece has been played a tooth 19 of the trip-member 17 will have moved into position to effect a tripping of the coin-stop 25 lever "38" into closed position.

. I claim as new and desire to secure by Let- 1. In a coin-controlled apparatus, a coinchute, a ratchet, means intermittently mov able to actuate said ratchet, a latch member v normally preventing an engagement of said means and ratchet and moved from normal position by the de osit of a coin in the chute, a coin-stop assoclated with the chute, and means movable by said ratchet and operative to trip said stop at least once during a rotation of the ratchet.

2. In a coin-controlledapparatus, a coin chute,'a coin-stop associated therewith and normally assuming a coin stopping position,

rotatable means for tripping said coin-stop a predetermined number of times in a rota tion thereof, mechanism operative to impart intermittent'rotary movements to said tripping means, and means normally serving to prevent an actuationof said trippingmeans by said mechanism and movable by the depositing of a coin inthe chute to permit a movement of the tripping means by said mechanism. v v

3. In atom-controlled apparatus a coinchute, a coin-stop associated therewith and normally standing in coin stopping position,

or tripping said coin-stop a predetermined number of times in a rotarotatable means tion thereof, ratchet means for moving said tripping means, the pawl member of which 1s influenced to normally stand in ratchet engaging position,- and means normally actmg to prevent an engagement of the ratchet members and moved from said normal po sij tion by the depositing of acoin in said chute.

4. Ina coin-controlled apparatus, a coinchute, a coin-stop associated therewith and normally assuming a coin stopping position,

a rotary tripping-member for actuating 1ntermittent tripping movements of said coinstopupon a rotation of said member, ratchet means operative to impart intermittent rotary movements to said member, and means normally "acting to prevent an engagement. of the members 'Of'SELld ratchet means and movable from normal position by the depositing of a coin in said chute. l 1

5. In an apparatus of theclass described,

a coin-chute, "an oscillatory'roin-stop associatedtherewith, a rotary trip member having at least one tooth for coacting with: said coin-stop to trip the same upon a rotation of said member, ratchet-means for imparting F intermittent rotary movements tosaid member, latch means normally coacting with a member of such-ratchet means to prevent movements-thereof and move's from normal position by the depositing of a coin in the chute and held in such position until the coin-stop is tripped to releasethe coin held thereby; I

p 6. In an apparatus of the classdescribed, j y a coin-chute, an oscillatory coin-sto'p associ- 7 at ed therewith, a rotary trip-pin member for tripping said stop at predetermined points in a rotation of said member, ratchet .means operative tocommunicate intermit tent rotary movements to said member, an oscillatory latchnormally coacting with said ratchet means to prevent a movement thereof and movable from normal position by a coin deposited i1. said chute.

7; In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a coin-chute, an o'scillatory coin-stop associated therewith and influenced tenormallystand in coin stopping position, a rotary tripping member operative upon a rotation thereof toimpart predeterminedtrippmgmovements to said stop, pawl and ratchet means operative-to impart intermittent rotary movements to said mem her, the pawl being, normally influenced to move to engage the ratchet tooth next in or- ,der, andja latch member adapted to 1101-- mally coac-t 'with'a part of said pawl'and tion' of the apparatus, ofa coin-chute, a coinstop associated therewith, means movable to intermittently tripsaid, stop, mechanism for imparting intermittent movements to said trippingmeans andhaving a part attached to said switch and yieldingly movable in one direction to normally close said switch and movable in theother direction by said switch when the latter is moved 'to open position by said automatic means, latch means normally acting to prevent a move.- ment of said mechanism and movable from normal position by thedepositing' of a coin into said chute. v a 1 9. In an apparatus of the class described,

the combination with aswitch for'an electric operating motor for the apparatus, and

means for automatically moving the switch to open position at predetermined periods in an operation of the apparatus, of a coincontrolled mechanism comp-rising a coinchute, a coin-stop associated with such chute. and normally standing in coin stopping position, a rotary member operative upon a rowith such chute, operative during tation thereof to impart predetermined, tripplng movements to said "stop, pawl and ratchet means 'for intermittently moving said member, the pawl thereof having con? switch and being in-. fluenced to normally move, into position to Hection with said close said switch and engage the next tooth in order 011 the ratchet after a movement thereof, and latch means adapted to nor- -mal1y prevent a switch closing movement of said pawl and 'bemg moved from normalposition by the'depositing of a coin into said 10. In an apparatus of the class described, I

the combination with the switch of electric power means for, working the apparatus,

and means automatically movable at predetermine'd points inan operationiof the apparatus to efle'ct an opening of said switch,

a of a coin-controlled mechanism thereforcomprisinga coin-chute, a coin-stop associated a rotary tripping member a rotation thereof to trip said coin-stop a times, a r'atchet attached to said member, a reciprocatory bar-attached to said switch and having alug thereon, .a pawl carried by said bar and adapted to enact with said ratchet and to impart rotatlon thereto when the bartis moved from normal position, a

member normally locking said baragainst movement and movable from normal position by the depositing of a coin within said chute, said bar being normally influenced to move to the limit of'itsmovement in. one

direction to place its pawl in engagement predetermined number of with a tooth'ofthe ratchet and to move the switch to open position. I I In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification int-he presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PHILIP J AGOB DREHER. Witnesses:

C. W. OWEN,

' M. G'. GAsKnLL. 

